Reenforced handle



Allg- 20, 1929. c. D. UPTON REENFORGE'D HANDLE Filed May 15, 1926 UNITE"STATES PATENT OFFCEL.

CLIFFORD D. UPTON, OF PIQU'A, OHIO, ASSQNOR TO THE WOOD SHOVEL AND TOOLCOMPANY, OF PQUA, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

REENFRCED HANDLE.

Application led May l5,

This invention relates to wooden handles for shovels, rakes, hoes, andthe like; in fact handles for all purposes wherein the handle long,straight and of comparatively small diameter.

One of the objects of my invention is to reenforce a handle and enableit to withstand excessive strains, especially strains applied in certaindirections, as, for example, bending strains put upon the handle of ashovel when the shovel is used as a pry. Another object is to permit theuse of lumber in making handles which could not otherwise be used forthe purpose. Ano-ther object is to prevent warpage handles.

ln the succeeding' specification I shall first describe the structure ofmy improved handle and I shall then describe one of its uses. ln theaccompanying drawing, which forms part of the specification,

F ig. l shows two strips of wood which are to be joined to form ahandle;

Fig. 2 shows an end view of a handle made of two such strips of wood,the strips when first joined foi-ning a square cross-section, indicatedby dotted lines, which is then turned to the circular cross-sectionshown in full lines;

Figs. 3 and l show two forms of a metallic connecter by which the twoparts of the handle are united;

5 shows a shovel equipped with a handle embodying my invention;

Fig. 6 shows a shovel handle alone, from a point of view ninety degreesaround from that seen in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7' shows in an enlarged view the manner of securing the upper endsof the shovel. straps to the handle, whereby the usual rivet at thispoint is dispensed with;

Fig. 8 shows a cross-section through the handle on line 8-8 in Fig. 5,and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a modied form of metallic connecter.

Referring first to Fig. Il, it is seen that the connecter' comprises astrip of metal 10, both edges having been notched, as at l1, leaving aseries of projections l2, which, for lack of a better' terni, I shallcall blades. These blades are bent to positions less than ninety degreesfrom the strip l0, alternate blades being bent toward one side ot thestrip and the intervening blades bent to a similar position withreference to the other side of the strip. The blades situated oppo-1926. Serial No. 109,250.

site each otherl on the strip l0 are bent in opposite directions, butthere is no particular merit in this arrangement, as these opposingblades might as well be bent toward the same side of the strip. Thestrip shown in Fig. differs from that shown in Fig. l only in that itsblades l2 are not separated by notches l1. The edges of the strip l0 aremerely clipped and the resulting blades bent in alternate directions asbefore.

Each of the wooden strips l5, in Fig. l, being alike I shall describeone only. Preferably the strip is twice as wide as it is thick, and onone side it is channeled, as at 16, to a depth equal to one-half thethickness of the body l0 of the connecter. At each edge of this shallowchannel a deep, narrow,

slot 17 is out, to receive the blades l2 on one side of the connecter'.These slots` are inclined to an angle corresponding to the inclinationof the blades. lVhen the strips are united by the connecter the faces18-18 of the strips come together as is seen in Fig. 2. The ir fer `edmethod of a s nblin' the j c i s e1 g parts is to place the two woodenstrips face to face and then slide the connecter into its place betweenthem. Before put-ting the wooden strips together the faces 18- 18 -maybe coated with glue, preferably water-proof glue. This assemblage maythen be turned or otherwise reduced to the circular crosssection shownin Fig. 3. It is possible, of course, to give the strips 15 theirsemi-cylindrical form before they are assembled.

rlfhere are two advantages in making the connecter as in Fig. Il, that.is with the notches ll between the blades. First, it reduces the weightof the reenforcement. Second, the spaces between the blades afford anopportunity for a slight fleXure'of the body1 lO as the connecter isforced into place between woodenstrips, which, if the metal has areasonable amount of resiliency, will enable the connecter to draw thestrips tightly together. To take advantage of this it is necessary tomake the depth of the channels 16 such that this fleXure can take place.But ar very slight difference in this respect is sufficient as theflexure need not be great. It is not necessary to use metal as thick asis indicated by the drawing, this however, being a mere question ofdesigning, and depending on the uses to which the handle will be put.Nor is the use ofmy method of joining wood limited to handles; it is ap-`ber of a dove-tail joint.

plicable to any case where it is desirable either to make a very strongjoint or to reenforce wood.

lVhile l have referred to the members l2 of the connecter as blades, itis plain that as a whole the union between the connecter and woodenstrips is on the principle of the well known dove-tail. The' key 19formed by cutting the slots 17 is dove-tail in form and the bladesembrace it like the other mem- Because of the extreme intimacy of theconnection, the blades being conlined in the comparatively closetit-ting grooves, forming a sort of interlock, the connecter stiflens ahandle very materially, even against strains perpendicular to the bodyl() of the connecter. But in the other direction, that is, againststrains parallel to the body of the connecter, the handle has very greatstrength and rigidity. lVhen it is desirable to provide substantiallyequal rigidity in both directions a connecter of the form shown in Fig.9 may be used. This connecter has ribs 30 projecting from each side ofthe body l0, which, aided by the rigidity due to the interlocking of theconnectei` and wood, give the handle substantially equal strength andrigidity in all directions. My method of reenforcing handles is usefulin keeping them from warping, which is a valuable function where handlesare much subjected to the action of water. My invention is alsoapplicable to other uses than shovel. handles. F or example, it isapplicable to the wooden bars or doctors7 used for smoothing the colorafter it is applied to the fabric in machines for making oilcloth'. Insuch machines much trouble is experienced from warping of the barsbecause of their being wet so much of the time, and also because oftheir being alternately wet and dry. Instead of providing the ribs 30,the body 10 may be provided with longitudinal corrugations to give itstiffness. This is so obvious that it is deemed unnecessary toillustrate it.

In Fig. 5 l show a shovel equipped with a handle embodying my invention.The met-al partof the shovel is of the usual style, the blade 25 havingthe usual pocket, comprising straps 26 and 27, for attaching the woodenhandle to the blade. This handle is reenforced for a portion of itslength with a metallic connecter 28, which is indicated diagrammaticallywith dotted lines. The handie must be bent in the usual way to get itinto the pocket, and to permit this the connecter or reenforcement stopsshort of the bend. But it extends sufficiently past the ends of thestraps to transfer all strain to the straps, therefore leaving no weakpoint in the handle. Instead of the rivet which ordinarily secures theends of the straps 26 and 27 to the handle, the straps are bound to thehandle by a metal band 29, which is wrapped around the Istraps and itsends tucked through a hole in one of the straps. The band is thencontracted by a ewa-ging operation. As this speciiic structure of thehandle, including the band for securing the straps is not my inventionthe foregoing description is sufficient. I merely show it here todemonstrate the reenforcing function of the connecter 28. The handlebeing set in the pocket with the body l() of the connecter perpendicularto the blade, any strain put upon the handle when the shovel is used asa pry is received edgewiserby the body of the connecter.

ln other types of shovels this reenforcement is similarly, or even moreeffective. For example, shovels for digging holes for telephone poleshave handles of various lengths, as much as ten or twelve feet in somecases, and these are subjected to very severe strain at times. Becauseof this it has been necessary to use very high class lumber in makingsuch handles. lith my method of building up and reenforcing handles, not

only can smaller pieces be used, but a lower grade of lumber can be usedand yet produce stronger handles than before. As lumber suitable forshovel handles and other articles to which my inventionmay be applied isbecoming scarce and therefore expensive, this is an importantconsideration.

It is not to be understood that my invention is limited, in its broaderaspects, to the details of construction shown. Its limitations are onlysuch as my claims impose.

Vhat I claim as my invention is as follows:

l. As an article of manufacture, two strips of wood united by strips ofmetal lying partly in one strip of wood and partly in the other inlongitudinally disposed grooves formed in the wood, and inclined withreference to the abutting surfaces of the wooden strips and withreference to each other, whereby the union is effectedv on the principleof a dove-tail joint.

l Ut) 2. A handle or the like comprising two strips of wood, each havingtwo slots cut in one side parallel to each other and to the grain of thewood, said slots converging from the surface inward, thereby forming anintermediate key of dovetail cross-section; and a metallic connectorcomprising a Hat body having two rows of blades projecting from eachside Vin converging relationship, therebyV forniing on each side of saidbody a channel complementary to and adapted to receive the key of one ofsaid strips.

3. A handle or the like comprising two strips of wood, each having twoslots cut in one side, parallel to each other and to the grain of thewood, said slots converging from the Isurface inward, forming anintermediate key of dovetail cross-section; and a metallic connectercomprising a thin fiat body from each edge of which blades projecttoward each side of the body and leaning toward each other to form oneach side of the body a channel complementary to and adapted to receiveone of said keys, said keys being reduced in height with reference tothe adjacent surfaces of the strips, thereby providing a space for thebody of the connecter and enabling said adjacent surfaces to contact,thus entirely enclosing the connecter in the wood.

4. A handle composed of wood with abroad and relatively thin metallicreenforcement embedded within and completely surrounded by the wood.

5. A handle composed of two strips of wood having a metal reenforcementbetween them, which reenforcement is interlocked with said strips ofwood at points intermediate its extremities.

6. A handle 'composed of two strips of wood with a metal reenforcementconfined between them, portions of the wood coming together face to faceon each side of said re enforcement, which portions are united withglue, said reenforcement being interlocked with said strips at pointsintermediate its extremities.

7. An article of manufacture composed of two strips of wood united faceto vface by metal connecters, comprising flat blades radiating in twodirections from and integral with a common body, said blades litt-ing inslots cut longitudinally in each of the strips at an inclination to saidfaces, the slots in a given strip inclining in opposite directions.

8. An article of manufacturecomposed of two strips of wood united byconnecters comprising flat blades lying in slots in the strips, saidslots being inclined with reference to the surfaces of the strips, theinclination of one slot in a strip being different from that of theother slot.

9. As an article of manufacture, a wooden handle composed of two halvesplaced face to face, each half having two deep, narrow, longitudinallyextending slots, said slots being at an angle to each other in cross-section, and a metal connecting device having blades adapted to slide intosaid slots and hold the parts together.

l0. As an article of manufacture, a handle composed of two strips ofwood, each having two deep, narrow, longitudinally extending slots cutin one side, said slot-s inclining` with reference to the surface inwhich they areV cut and inopposite directions with reference to eachother; and means for uniting said sti-ips, comprising a strip of metalhaving blades attached to each edge and extending alternately from leachside of the strip at inclinations corresponding to that of the slots insaid strip, |said blades being slid into the slots and thereby uniting`the wood strips to said metal strip.

l1. A handle or the like comprising two strips of wood, each having twoslots cut in one side parallel to each other and to the grain of thewood, said slots converging from the surface inward, thereby forming anintermediate key of dovetail cross-section; and a metallic connectercomprising a flat body having two rows of blades projecting from eachside in converging relationship, thereby forming on each side of saidbody a channel complementary to and adapted to receive the key of one ofsaid strips, said body having a longitudinal rib extending from eachside to give the connecter rigidity perpendicular to said body.

CLIFFORD D. UPTON.

